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A group of tech companies has urged Congressional leadership to abandon a GOP plan to kill the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules.

Budget proposals have included provisions preventing the FCC from continuing to enforce the rules that took effect in June, at least until broadband providers have exhausted all of their appeals in court.

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"We are writing to urge you to refrain from including riders relating to net neutrality and the Federal Communication Commission’s Open Internet Order in the upcoming omnibus spending legislation," the tech companies wrote in a letter Wednesday to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

The tech companies' letter was signed by Automattic, Codeacademy, Cogent, Contextly, Distinc.tt, Dwolla, Engine Advocacy, Etsy, Fandor, General Assembly, Kickstarter, Level 3, Mapbox, Meetup, Tumblr, Twilio, and Vimeo. It was also signed by consortiums including the Internet Freedom Business Alliance (IFBA), the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), and Incompas (formerly known as Comptel.)

"After the House’s action, several technology companies met with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the Senate to share how these riders are harmful to innovation and the thriving startup culture in the US," they wrote.

A Senate committee did not adopt two of the three net neutrality riders, which would have withheld funding from the FCC to prevent implementation of net neutrality rules until all court cases are decided, and imposed "a new, onerous reporting requirement" on the FCC, they wrote.

The companies this week asked the House and Senate to keep those riders out of "the omnibus bill or any spending vehicle." They also asked lawmakers to drop a provision that would prevent the FCC from implementing rate regulation.

The net neutrality order reclassified broadband providers as common carriers, raising the possibility of rate regulation, but the FCC hasn't regulated rates for Internet service or proposed doing so. Instead, consumers can file complaints about their Internet service bills and the FCC would decide if a particular price is unjust or unreasonable. Companies that pay ISPs for direct network connections can also bring complaints.

"To be clear, we agree with the committees that retail rate­setting may be a harmful practice," the tech companies wrote to lawmakers. "However, the rate regulation riders that passed the committee process are drafted in a broad manner that could create unintended consequences for telecommunications policy by eliminating FCC safeguards for broadband markets, Internet entrepreneurs, app makers, and Internet users alike."

The broadband industry's appeal of the FCC's net neutrality rules is being heard by US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC. Oral arguments occurred last week, with a decision expected in the next few months.